Driving test

[Central]

In a few months I got my test (Long waiting time). Anyway I had a mock test with my instructor last week and passed it with 4 minors.

My instructor is taking me around test routes to get me used to them. And I feel I can do the maneuvers without trouble. I passed my theory first time to. I got 44/45 on pratical and 44 out 75 i think for hazard perception.

So what should I expect with my test?

Any advice?

Cheers

[Peter_]

Just try and be calm and have a good nights sleep if possible the night before.

Good Luck.

[Damien]

I passed my test in early November at the third time of asking. There isn't much advice that can be given to be honest. It's how it plays out on the day. Keeping calm is important, remember that you can drive and you can pass the test.

Actually one thing I would recommend is that during the test always concentrate on what is happening. You'll make small, little, mistakes during the test and these will hopefully be minor faults or not faults at all. The worst thing you can do is worry about these after they have happened, forget about them because they probably have not failed you but something might if you don't pay attention. It sounds obvious but your brain goes into hyperdrive during the test and it's most likely the most stressful 40 minutes of driving you will ever have. So pay attention for it.

[Smilie]

on my 1st test a few years back
i thought i messed up my reverse parking
so after that i didn't concentrate that well
the result was my reverse parking was fine
but i messed up with turning corners too fast

so my advice is to keep concentrating
and if u make a mistake don't worry too much
it might just be a minor or not even a error

[joglynne]

I was so nervous that I was convinced that I had failed my Driving Test after the first 30 seconds. I thought that as I had nothing to loose I might as well just enjoy the drive and to my utter amazement I passed with no faults on my first attempt.

Difficult to stop worrying I know but the calmer and more relaxed, you can be on the test the more chance you have to concentrate on what you are doing and what the other road users and pedestrians are doing around you.

[Pedro1]

Main thing is to remain calm.. This helps you to take in more at a faster pace than being on edge.. GOOD LUCK......

[Angua]

And keep the actual time & date to yourself. Telling the world when you are taking your test can put more pressure on you.

Good luck BTW

[SMG]

Originally Posted by Central

My instructor is taking me around test routes to get me used to them. And I feel I can do the maneuvers without trouble.

Any advice?

Cheers

First of all, route training may sound fine, but what will you do when driving around the city, or to the seaside? When driving schools "route train" candidates, its an easy option to get the candidate through their test, it is not good training for the road & it will not give you the training you need.

Driving Instructors who use test routes are known to the Examiners, & are frowned upon. They cause complaints from residents who are sick of learners using "their" roads. I once had an old lady beat on the bonnet of a school car with an umbrella because she was sick & tired of "school cars" using the road for maneuvers. My candidate burst into tears & I was forced to abandon the test.

If you have been trained to a reasonable standard, using a variety of different roads & junctions, then unless your nerves get the better of you, or something unusual happens, you should be able to pass the test easily.

Should an Examiner suspect you are "Route trained" ( & it is quite easy) he or she may well amend, or swap the route.

Your instructor is well aware of all this, take my advice & mention it, tell him or her you want some training which will allow you to drive anywhere in the UK, & not just round a test route.

Remember, your instructor will tell you what you want to hear, not, what you need to hear.

Examiners test thousands of candidates, its easy to spot someone who isn't ready. Work hard & concentrate m8, thats the only way. Good luck.

[LondonRoad]

You're ready. Keep the concentration levels high and the adrenelin on test day will see you through.

...and be out of pocket for the rest of your natural.

[Strzelecki]

I recently passed my test (1st time, 2 minors) and I think I passed because I hardly told anyone I was learning to drive and I wasn't really bothered about learning to drive, hence not learning until I was 27. Soounds like you are doing well and you should be fine as long as you can control the nerves. My instructor was very good, did a variety of driving over 5 months and only spent the last 2 months driving in the town where I took my test. Yes I drove most of the test routes but i don't think that was a bad thing as I did a lot of other driving. I did loads of hours private driving (200+) which probably helped!
So good luck with your test, usual advice about remaining calm and don't worry if you make a mistake, if you react properly to it the examiner will probably mark it as a minor. One thing to note is to watch the revs at which you change gear. They like you to change at around 2000rpm for diesel and 2500 for petrol for eco driving. They can put a mark on your test for this but it doesn't count towards the overall mark yet.
Good luck!

[Lord Nikon]

Several things here.

1) Passing your test does not mean you have learned to drive. It means you have learned to pass your test. Every time you get behind the wheel you will learn something more about driving. The driving test brings you up to the minimum standard for driving, everything you learn from there onwards makes you a better driver.

2) Keep up to date on highway code rules & regs after you have passed. The rules change and no-one is going to tell you, you have to keep yourself updated. For example, when I passed my test the motorway speed limit was a blanket 70, then LGVs were restricted to 56mph, this was publicised, more recently Vans were restricted to 60mph unless it is a Car Derived Van which retains 70 mph as the speed limit. Ever see that one publicised?

3) and this one I cannot stress enough, it was advice given to me by my driving instructor and I have carried it with me all the way since. NEVER be surprsed by anything you see someone doing on the road. Don't let it shake you. I have seen buses run red lights onto roundabouts, cars in the left lane of a dual carriageway cut accross to turn right. Cars go straight on from right turn only lanes, one old gentleman go the wrong way round a roundabout and the wrong way into a one way street, police vehicles reversing a couple of hundred yards along a motorway hard shoulder. It happens, don't let it throw off your driving when others are idiots.

4) Always keep a digital or disposable camera and a pad and paper in the car. Eventually it is inevitable you will be involved in an accident, something to make a note of the other party's details on, and to make note of your own details on will be of use, and a photo can prove it wasn't your fault.

5) Take motorway lessons after passing. They will help give you confidence on the motorway. The speeds are higher and that can throw new drivers, lessons will help.

I passed on my third attempt. The first time I knew I wasn't ready, My examiner agreed. I wasn't confident enough in my ability and made silly mistakes through lack of experience. The second time I was driving a car I had only driven for an hour and I wasn't experienced enough to adapt to the different car quickly enough to not mess up. My instructor had been involved in a crash the morning of my test and had to use a spare car. The third time I was ready, and I passed, despite returning to the test centre with an examiner who had a cut on her head and a possible concussion and a car with a crack in the windscreen. (Near the end of the test she was preparing for the emergency stop, she had shifted round in the seat and moved the seatbelt to see what I did when a kid ran into the street in front of me and the emergency stop happened sooner than she expected)

[Central]

Thanks people for the great advice.

Looking forward to it but also shaking like a ahem dog

[Hom3r]

I passed my test on my 5th attempt, It was due mainly to nerves getting the better of me, and one was my instructor was on holiday and I used a different car.

I passed in the 2nd hardest place in my area.

As Lord Nikon says in point one, you only learn to drive once you have passed your test.

I have now been driving for 22 years, and still I see new things that shock me.

one final thing take a motorway lesson.

[ZrByte]

Originally Posted by SMG

Driving Instructors who use test routes are known to the Examiners, & are frowned upon. They cause complaints from residents who are sick of learners using "their" roads. I once had an old lady beat on the bonnet of a school car with an umbrella because she was sick & tired of "school cars" using the road for maneuvers. My candidate burst into tears & I was forced to abandon the test.

While I agree with what you are saying in general about test routes and instructors who abuse them this paragraph caught my attention. It stood out to me because of how much it says about the old lady really. Sick of her situation or not what right did she think she had to 'fend off' someone using a public road? This winds me up a lot since I work from my car I often have people get abusive with me for parking outside their houses etc (Not in disabled bays, not over driveways and not inconsiderately or illegally) Purely because they think they also own the area of road and pavement outside of their house. About eight times out of ten it's elderly people (In particular old ladies) and the rest of the time it's usually taxi drivers who like to have the space outside of their house.
Anyway sorry about that slightly o/t rant just needed to get that off my chest.

I wonder why the DSA don't list approved practice test routes for ADI's so they can prepare their learners for a real test without intruding on the actual test routes.

I passed on my second test, Thought I had failed in the first five minutes because of a few little mistakes which turned out to be minors. I think I just became a lot more relaxed when I thought I had nothing to lose and ended up driving quite confidently.

[jrhnewark]

Originally Posted by joglynne

I was so nervous that I was convinced that I had failed my Driving Test after the first 30 seconds. I thought that as I had nothing to loose I might as well just enjoy the drive and to my utter amazement I passed with no faults on my first attempt.

Snap! Actually, I had six minors, but that's well below the average and I don't know when the above poster passed their test... mine was only a few years ago.

Just relax and you'll be fine... :-)